Mixing and grinding device



April 30, 1929. J. A. MICHAL v MIXING AND GRINDING DEVICE Filed Dec. 30,1926 2 Sheets-Sheet Y E N R m April 1929- J. A. MICHAL 1,711,154

MIXING AND GRINDING DEVICE Filed Dec. so, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2avweuto'c Patented Apr. 30, 1929.

UNITED STATES JAROSLAV A. MICHAL, or NEW YORK, 1v.

PATENT OFFICE.

'Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE TURBINATOR COM- PANY, INC., OF RIDGEWOOD, NEWJERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

MIXING AND GRINDING DEVICE.

This invention relates generally to mixing, grinding, dissolving andemulsifying apparatus and more particularly to a mixing and grindingmachine of the general type described and claimed in Letters-Patent ofthe United States No'. 1,487,208 granted to Cooke et al. March 18, 1924.

Mixing and grinding machines of this type are characterized by aconstruction somewhat similar to that of a steam turbine, and by a modeof operation resembling what would be accomplished were a turbine to bedriven b theapplication of power to its shaft anc with the turbineblades functioning to impel material from stage to stage through themachine. It has been found in actual practice that the treatment ofliqaid-suspended material in a mixing and grinding machine of thisgeneral nature provides a very satisfactory colloidal grinding orcomminuting effect. ticles in the material are not only substantiallyreduced in size by impact with blade after blade in their travel throughthe machine, but the reduction in size of the particles is uniformthroughout the mass of material treated.

It is a general object of the present invention to provide a mixing andgrinding machine of the general type referred to in which the action ofcentrifugal force will be utilized. to assist in feeding materialthrough the device and also to produce a progressively increasingintensity of action on the material as it travels through the grindingzone of the machine. a

The invention comprises a grinding ma-.

chine of the general type referred to in which the travel of thematerial being treated is radially outward throughconcentric rows ofoppositely inclined blades. Themachine includes a rotor of disk-likeformation and converging or tapering from its central portion to itsouter periphery. -The rotor is supported on a horizontal shaft and itslateral faces are provided with concentric rows of blades havingtheirworking faces set at suitable inclinations to propel bothcircumferentially and with a radially outward component of travel. Themachine includes also a casing or, housing for the rotor which is'alsoprovided with rows of blades which alternate with the rows of Theindividual parblades on the rotor and project therebetween. Theinclination of the blades mounted in the housing is such as to cooperatewith the blades on the rotor and deflect material from row to row towardthe periphery of the machine. The deflection of material from row to rowproduces an impacting or disintegrating effect, creates the massvelocity of the material in the machine, and eifects the desiredgrinding or reduction of particle size in the material. 1

Other features of the invention will be hereinafter described andclaimed.

In the drawings,.in which a preferred embodiment of the invention hasbeen selected for illustration:

Fig. 1 is a view in the vertical section of a grinding and mixingmachine embodying the invention; A

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale showing a detail of thematerial engaging portions of the machine;

I Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 1 showing a portion of a machineembodying a modified form of the invention;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 of a machine which includes a rotor 5mounted on and for rotation with a shaft 6 supported on standards, suchas is shown at 7, and driven from any suitable source of power.Standards 7, only one of which is shown, are pro-' 'vided with splitbearing members 8 and 9 in which the shaft 6 is journaled, anenlargement 10 on the shaft rotating in corresponding grooves in thebearing members 8 and 9 to prevent longitudinal movement of the shaft 6.

The rotor 5 is housed in a stationary casing or housing 11 which issupported at its lower end on pedestal members 12. The housing 11 ismade up of two parts circumferentially divided and adapted to be appliedto an intervening spacing ring 13, the inner periphery of which isspaced a slight distance from the outer peripheral surface of the rotor5.

The opposite faces of the rotor 5 and the inner faces of the housing 11are provided with circular rows of blades 14 and 15, the

rows of blades on thedifferent supports being arranged in alternationand having an overlapping or intermeshed relation with each other. Inother words, the rows of blades on the rotor extend into positionsbetween the inwardly projecting blades on the housing. The result isthat the blades on the rotor, which are inclined in one directions,engage and deflect the material against the angular faces of the bladeson the housing, which are set at the opposite angle. In this waymaterial is deflected from row to row of blades in the operation. of themachine. I

Material to be treated is caused to enter the device through the supplypipes 16 at points relatively near to the axis of rotation of thedevice. Material is discharged from the pipes 16 into annular channels17 formed in the inner faces of the housing members 11 at a pointlocated radially within the bladed areas of the housing and rotor sothat the incoming material immediately enters the innermost rows ofblades to begin its outward travel toward the periphery of the machine.It will be seen that a doubly-effective feeding action is provided forcans ing the material to progress through the bladed section in which itis subjected to the desired mixing and grinding action. One of thesefeeding effects resides inthe deflecting actions of the blades which areset at suitable angles for this purpose and which operate to move theengaged material from row to row of blades and in generally radiallyoutward directions toward the circumference of the machine. Anotherfeeding effect or action resides in the movement of the material whichis produced by the effect of centrifugal action. This also tends to movethe material outwardly toward the circumferencevof the machine.

It will be seen that. the relation of the blades'is such that no portionof the material under treatment canpass through the machine withoutbeing subjected to the action of the blades. In this respect theoperation of the machine follows that of the device described in theprior patent referred to and in this respect this general type ofmachine differs in a substantial manner from prior mixing and grindinginachines'which have one into commercial use. The type of ma- I c ineherein described differs from the prior art in another respect also andthat 1s in the impactin the material y the operation of the bladeswhereas in the older art it was the practice to sub'ect the material tothe grinding acedb tion 0 stone mills or to the disrupting actionbrought about by forcing the material between relatively moving surfacesseparatthe thickness of a thin film.

W en the material has reached the outer peripheral region of the rotor5, it is forced action which is produced on into achannel 18 from whichit enters a discharge pipe 19 and through which it is conveyed to asuitable receiving receptacle.

In order to overcome the tendency to produce a high vacuum in themovement of the material from the inner portion of the bladed area tothe outer portion thereof in which the speed of travel of the blades ismuch greater than the speed of travel of the blades at the innerportion, the size of the blades is gradually increased toward the outerperiphery of the machine. By thus increasing the sizeor circumferentialwidth of the blades, the cross sectional area or the widthand number ofthe passages 20 between the blades is maintained substantially the samethroughout the peripheral extent of the bladed section. blades and theintervening spaces to each other is illustrated in Fig. 2 of thedrawings. Not only is the tendency to produce a high vacuum in theswiftly moving blades at the outer portion of the section overcome bythis action, but the increased size of the blades toward the outersection is helpful in providing the greater strength and resistance thatis needed in this zone because of the This relation of the greatervelocity of movement of the parts.

'The result is that although the velocityof increase in efl'ectiven'essof the action ofthe blades on the material as it travels through thebladed section is utilized in an effective way because the solidparticles included 1n thematerial are progressively reduced in' sizeasthey travel through the bladed section, so that the more effectiveaction in the outer zone is utilized in operating on particles ofreduced size. The whole operation is efficiently performed because ofthe method of construction and the mode of actuation referred to.

The housing members 11 may be provided with packing glands 21 at theirpoints of connection with the shaft 6 although thehigh speed at whichthe rotor is driven in operation practically precludes leakage of liquidthrough the glands 21 since the action of centrifugal force tends toprevent the accumulation of liquid at the central zone of the device.

A limited degree of adjustment of the housing members 11 toward and fromeach other in order to thereby produce a corresponding change in thecharacter of the operation of the device on the material may be providedby interchanging the circumferential rings 13 and using rings ofdifferent width to provide the different adjustments in their supportingmembers.

desired. The principal adjustment, however, is provided in the originalsetting of the machine and is based upon the inclination at which theblades 14 and 15 are set This inclination, is, of course, different fordifferent ma: terials and is determined in accordance with the nature ofthe material which is to be handled by any given machine.

In order to provide either a heating or a cooling effect to accompanythe operation of the machine, jacket members 22 are pro vided whichprovide chambers 23 through which a heating or cooling medium may besupplied by way of the pipe 24.

Referring to Fig. 3 of the drawings, a

modified form of the invention is shown in which the rotor 25 issupplied with blades 26 which operate in grooves 27 formed in thehousing member 28. In like manner, the blades 29, which are carried bythe housing member 28, operate in grooves 30 provided in the rotor 25.It will be seen that in this form of the invention, the material is notdeflected from one row of blades to another but is impacted against thesurfaces of the channels in which the blades move.

In Fig. 4 of the drawings there is shown an embodiment of the inventionin which the rotor 31 is provided with stepped an nular seats 32, 33,34, to faces of which-am nular rows of toothed members 35, 36, and 37are attached through the bolting of supporting rings 38, 39 and 40to'the rotor. T 1e blades or teeth are formed integrally with thesupporting rings, two rows of blades being formed with'the innermostrings 38 and three rowsof blades with the other rings 39 and 40.

The casing 41 is similarly provided with annular seats 42, 43 and 44,against which supporting plates 45, 46 and 47 are fastened to supportinwardly extending seats of b1ades48, 49 and 50.

It will be seen that the rows of blades on the rotor alternate with therows of blades on the casing, as in the constructions previouslydescribed. The stationary blades, however, in this embodiment, of-theinvention have a less radial width or depth than those shown in Figs. 1and 2. By thus providing a greater width of radial projection on themoving blades than on the stationary blades, a more effective action isobtained in that the kinetic energy imparted to the material un dertreatment is not counteracted by engagement with stationary surfaceshaving the same areas as those of the moving surfaces which act to impelthe material. The result is that the velocity of movement of thematerial is maintained at a point which will insure the carrying out ofthe impacting function which is an important characteristic ofap'plicants operation.

It will also be seen that the mounting of blades integrally formed withsupporting rings directly on seats formed for the purpose on the rotorand'casing provides a simple and inexpensive method 'of manufacture. Thereplacement of blades for any reason is also readily effected with thisform of construction.

In order to prevent the formation of dead spaces in the casing adjacentthe outer periphery of the rotor impeller blade members 51 are mountedon the edge of the rotor and have the effect of a centrifugal pump incausing the material to travel to the outlet port. In Fig. 4 of thedrawings impeller blades 52 are mounted on the rotor at a point adjacentthe hub portion 53, thereof, these blades serving to feed the materialfrom its point of entry into the casing outwardly for engagement by theinner rows of blades.

The terms and expressions which I have employed are used as terms ofdescription and not of limitation, and I have no intention, in the useof such terms and expressions, of excluding any mechanical equivalentsof the features shown and described, or portions thereof, but recognizethat various structural modifications are possible within the scope oftheinvention claimed.

IVhat I claim is:

1. In a mixing and grinding machine, a rotor having a diameter ofsubstantially greater length than its axial length, the opposite facesof the rotor being provided with substantially axially extending blades,a casing having blades projecting between the blades on the rotor, andmeans for feeding material into the casing at points adjacent the axisof rotation of the rotor and for delivering material from a point in theperiphery of the casing.

2. In a mixing and grinding machine, a rotor having a diameter ofsubstantially greater length than its axial length, the opposite facesof the rotor being provided with concentric rows of axially projectingblades, a casing for the rotor including sections mounted in confrontingrelation to the opposite faces of the rotor, said sections beingprovided with axially extending blades arran ed toextend between therows of blades on t e rotor, and an annular spacing member interposedbetween said casing sections at their peripheries and having enclosingrelation to the rotor.

3. In a mixing and grindin machine, a rotor having a disk-like formationand provided with axially extending blades on its opposite faces, acasing for the rotor including sections provided with axially extendingblades extending between the blades on the rotor, an annular spacingmember occupying a concentric relation to the rotor and to which thecasing sections are attached at their peripheries, said casing sectionsbeing provided with material inlet ports adjacent the axis of rotationof the rotor, and

said annular spacing member being provided with a discharge port for thematerial.

4. In a mixing and grinding machine, a rotor having a disk-likeformation and provided on its opposite faces with axially, extendingblades, said blades having material engaging surfaces arranged atinclinations such as to impel material outwardly toward the periphery ofthe rotor, a casing for the rotor including sections having facesarranged in confronting relation to the faces of said rotor, bladesmounted on said 'casing sections and arranged to extend between theblades on the rotor, said'blades on the casing sections having inclinedsurfaces. in

' reverse of the inclinations of the blades on the rotor but arranged toimpel material outwardly toward the periphery, whereby material isimpelled from blade to blade the action of the inclined faces and by theaction of centrifugal force.

5. In a mixing and grinding machine, a rotor provided with a number ,ofrows of blades extending substantially parallel to its axis saidbladesfhaving their surfaces set at inclinations to impel material inradially outward directions; and a casing forthe rotor provided with anumber of rows of blades extending substantiallyparallel to the axis ofrotation of the rotor and alternating with the rows of blades thereon,said blades I being set at inclinations in reverse of theinclinations ofthe blades of the rotor, the

radial width of the blades on the casing being substantially less thanthe radial width of the blades on the rotor.

, JAROSLAV A. MICHAL.

